The Cabin In The Woods

Even if Joss Whedon hadn't kicked everyone square in the box office with the Avengers this would have still been his shining year.  Why?  Cause that genius wrote "The Cabin In The Woods."  If he was here before me right now I'd shake his hand and kiss him on the cheek.  He has created the victory lap for horror fans everywhere.  In the future someone will no doubt make a better horror film, a more scary horror film, but I have doubts anyone will make a more knowing horror film.

Now some folks say the less you know about this film the better.  I don't know about that, but I'll honor the fairly spoiler free coverage of the film.  Let's just say that it seems like a fairly average horror film.  A bunch of horny teenagers are going to a remote cabin in the woods to make out and party.  A creepy guy tells them not to go.  The cabin itself is pretty creepy.  They really shouldn't have gone because this can't end well.

It doesn't.

So why is everyone having LOL joy kittens over this film?  Well first, everything I just told is just the merest surface.  What's underneath not only explains why these teens are going to die, but why EVERY teen in films like this have to die.  Won't say anything more except, "Stockholm is down."

The other thing is that this film is often just side splittingly funny.  In a weird way parts of the film harken to "Office Space," where people fight against corporate (and worse) dehumanizatin with humor.  Whether it is an office pool or small pranks on some of the odder employees I think everyone can empathize with the situation and the humor feels real and unforced.  I know I'll never think of "speakerphone" the same way ever again.

The final and probably most important reason is that in the end they bring the goods home.  This is not a film that fizzles in the final reel but rather takes a big snort of moonshine and adrenalin puts on its Rambo bandana and goes completely barking mad Joe Pesci/Bruce Lee insane on the audience's collective ass.  It is one of the most joyful assault on my senses I've had the pleasure to witness in a long, long time.

So, stop reading this and GO SEE IT!